saz
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELNO 709
OF 02150OZ AUGUST 88
CONFIDENTIAL
нко 243/8
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
INDEX
-3 AUG 1988
OFFICER
PA
aw
127614
MDHOAN 1671
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, HANOI
(587
OUR TELNO 2007 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE: COAST HOPPING IN SOUTHERN
CHINA
1.
YOU WILL HAVE NOTED FROM TUR MINISTERS' GROWING CONCERN
ABOUT THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG ARISING FROM THE CONTINUING
INFLUX OF BOAT PEOPLE FROM VIETNAM, WE WERE THEREFORE VERY
GRATEFUL FOR RIORDAN'S PROMPT ACTION WITH MISS DU MING IN THE MFA.
"
IN VIEW OF MINISTERS' CONCERN ABOUT THE SHARP DETERIORATION IN THE SITUATION, WE HAD ENVISAGED ASKING YOU TO APPROACH THE MFA AT A HIGHER LEVEL AND TO MAKE THE POINTS IN PARAS 3 AND 6 OF HONG KONG TELNO 2868, IN ADDITION TO THE STATISTICS IN PARA 1 OF THAT TELEGRAM. WE APPRECIATE THAT IT MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO
FOLLOW UP SO SOON AFTER RIORDAN'S APPROACH. BUT WE SHOULD BE
GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD TAKE AN APPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE
THESE FURTHER POINTS AND TO REGISTER MINISTERS' CONTINUING INTEREST
IN THE PROBLEM.
2.
IT SEEMS CLEAR FROM MISS DU MING'S RESPONSE TO RIORDAN
THAT THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION IS WELL APPRECIATED BY THE MFA.
BUT WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR ASSESSMENT OF WHETHER THIS IS
HAVING THE DESIRED EFFECT ON THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES. FROM THE EVIDENCE PRODUCED IN PARA 3 OF HONG KONG TELNO 2868, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT DESPITE THE MFA'S GOOD INTENTIONS, THE MESSAGE IS NOT
GETTING THROUGH TO THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES. WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL
FOR YOUR ADVICE ABOUT WHETHER THERE IS ANYTHING FURTHER THAT
COULD BE DONE TO REMEDY THIS.
3.
WE HAVE TWO COMMENTS ON THE TEXT OF THE WARNING NOTICE IN
HONG KONG TELNO 2869:
(A) WE CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT THE PHRASE QUOTE FORMER
RESIDENTS OF VIETNAM UNQUOTE SHOULD NOT BE USED, FOR OBVIOUS
REASONS. WE WOULD PREFER THE PHRASE QUOTE VIETNAMESE NATIONALS
UNQUOTE (SEE OUR TELNO 640 TO PEKING):
(B) WE SUGGEST DELETION OF THE WORD ILLEGALLY UNQUOTE IN
THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF THE WARNING NOTICE. AS POINTED OUT IN
OUR TELNO 1988 WE (AND SOME OF OUR EC PARTNERS), HAVE
RESERVATIONS ABOUT DESCRIBING THESE DEPARTURES ILLEGAL.
IT IS THE FACT THAT SUCH DEPARTURES ARE BOTH HAZARDOUS
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CONFIDENTIAL
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